Devices for mounting medical appliance

ABSTRACT

A device for retaining a medical appliance or the like at a predetermined position on the body, comprising an appliance engagement portion and a belt portion; the engagement portion comprising a panel of absorbent, non-allergic material having an opening for receiving a portion of the medical appliance and a vertically extended strip of small hook means horizontally aligned with the opening and having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the opening. The belt portion comprises a flexible, non-allergic material extensible in a direction around the body and has a vertically extended strip of nap having a similar vertical dimension and adapted for fastening engagement with the hook means on the engagement portion. In preferred embodiments all strips, and the belt portion itself, have a vertical dimension approximately equal to that of the opening.

United stateS Patent [191 Kirkliauskas [451 Nov. 20, 1973 DEVICES FOR MOUNTING MEDICAL APPLIANCE [7 6] Inventor: Alexander J. Kirkliauskas, 5

Telegraph St., South Boston, Mass. 02127 [22] Filed: July 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 160,376

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-John N. Williams [5 7 ABSTRACT A device for retaining a medical appliance or the like at a predetermined position on the body, comprising an appliance engagement portion and a belt portion; the engagement portion comprising a panel of absorbent, non-allergic material having an opening for receiving a portion of the medical appliance and a vertically extended strip of small hook means horizontally aligned with the opening and having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of the opening. The belt portion comprises a flexible, non-allergic material extensible in a direction around the body and has a vertically extended strip of nap having a similar vertical dimension and adapted for fastening engagement with the hook means on the engagement portion. In preferred embodiments all strips, and the belt portion itself, have a vertical dimension approximately equal to that of the opening.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DEVICES FOR MOUNTING MEDICAL APPLIANCE This invention relates to a device for retaining a medical appliance or the like to the human body.

While a large number of such devices have'been available for some time, various difficulties have persisted and no single device has been entirely satisfactory. Primary among these difficulties was the inability of such devices to retain a medical appliance in a manner which was both comfortable to the patient and which eliminated leakage of fluids which might soil the patients clothing or bedding. Typical other difficulties included a construction which irritated the patients skin at one or more points of contact and which required the use of an adhesive applied directly to the skin to guarantee even modest success at preventing leakage.

In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device of the type described which substantially eliminates the aforementioned difficulties.

To achieve this end the invention features such a device which comprises an appliance engagement portion and a belt portion. The engagement portion comprises a panel of absorbent, non-allergic material having an opening for receiving a portion of the medical appliance (e.g., a rubber flange of a collection bag). The engagement portion also has at least one vertically extended strip of fastening hooks which is horizontally aligned with the opening and which has a height substantially equal to the height of the opening. The belt portion comprises a flexible, non-allergic material which is extensible in a direction around the patients body. The belt has a vertically extended strip of nap which also has a height substantially equal to the height of the opening and which is adapted for fastening engagement with the hooks on the engagement portion, whereby the force exerted upon the engagement portion by the belt portion is distributed over the vertical dimension of the opening. In preferred embodiments, the strips of hooks and nap on the engagement portion and the belt portion are horizontally aligned with; and are equal in vertical dimension to, the height of the opening; the vertical dimension of the belt portion is approximately equal to the vertical dimension of the fastening means on the belt portion; the engagement portion comprises two layers of cotton sewn together; appliance-engaging loop means are provided adjacent the opening; and strips of hooks are provided at each horizontal end of the engagement portion which are adapted for engagement with strips of nap at each end of the belt portion.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment, taken together with the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic representation of a device according to the invention retaining a collection device to the human body;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a belt portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of an appliance engagement portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken away elevation of a collection device which may be retained to a patients body by means of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in horizontal section of a device according to the invention retaining the collection device of FIG. 4 in place about a stoma; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates the device 10'according to the invention as employed to retain a collection bag 12 such as a stoma receiver or colostomy appliance. The device 10 consists of a belt portion 14 and an appliance engagement portion 16 which is designed to receive and retain the appliance 12, as discussed in detail below.

The belt portion 14 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The belt consists of a panel of cotton material which is elastic in the longitudinal direction of the belt (i.e., around the body of the patient as viewed in FIG. 1). Preferably, a two-sided elastic is employed, with the soft side 18 being disposed for contact with the body and the firm side 20 exposed. Strips of nap 22 are affixed to the'belt in its end portions and extend across the full vertical dimension of the belt 14. The strips 22 are of the type which can adhere to a mating strip of tiny hooks. A suitable product is sold commercially under the mark VELCRO. Not only is this fastening means advantageous to evenly distribute the tension on the attachment portion 16 (as described further below), but provides for a belt portion which is easily washable and which is free of metallic or other irritative materials.

The end edges 24 of the belt itself, as well as the outer edges 26 of the fastening means 22, are tapered. This configuration provides for convenience and economy in that the belt 14 is usually worn higher on the patients back than in the front, so that the tapered edge 26 of strip 22 will end up as vertical in use and will align with a matching vertical edge on the mating strip of hooks of the engagement portion.

In its preferred form the belt portion 14 is approximately 2 inches in height and approximately 6 inches shorter than the girth about it must stretch to span. The 2 inch height of the belt portion 14 is preferred since a narrow belt localizes the pressure along a line and eventually produces a welt on the patient. Furthermore, if the height of the belt portion 14 were substantially greater than the vertical dimension of the strip 22, the excess belt material above and below would tend to roll over and/or the belt would tend to ride up on the body. The height of the strip of nap 22, however, is preferably chosen to be approximately equal to the vertical dimension of opening 28 in the engagement portion 16, since if it were substantially smaller the desired uniform distribution of pressure across the opening 28 would not be obtained. If it were substantially larger, it would merely be a wasteful construction.

In its preferred form, the belt portion 14 is provided with a washable, roll-preventing material (not shown) beneath the strip 22. This construction prevents the ends of the belt portion from curling without resorting to the use of irritating and restricting metal inserts or stays.

Referring to FIG. 3, the engagement portion 16 comprises two layers of cotton which are fastened together, preferably by stitching as indicated at 30, with edges overcast as at 31. The centrally located opening 28 is sized to receive an engagement portion of the medical appliance, as discussed further below. Loops 32 of braided thread are provided adjacent the opening 28 for engagement with means on the appliance to retain the proper orientation of the appliance. Strips of hooks 34 (e.g., VELCRO) are positioned at horizontally opposite ends of the engagement portion 16 and have a vertical dimension equal to, and aligned with, the vertical dimension of opening 28.

The two layer construction of engagement portion 16 provides a panel which is neither too flimsy nor uncomfortably stiff and bulky. The choice of cotton as the panel material assures washability, nonirritation, and absorption (should minor leakage occur).

In its preferred form, the engagement portion 16 includes a circular opening 28 of approximately 2 inch diameter with approximately 1 inch of panel material above and below the highest and lowest points of the opening 28, respectively. While more material above and below the opening 28 would provide more absorptive capacity, the engagement portion 16 would become uncomfortably large and the upper and lower portions would tend to roll over. Too little material causes problems discussed below.

A suitable medical appliance for use with the device illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is shown in FIG. 4. the appliance 12 is a conventional collection bag having a connector 36 suitable for engagement with a drainage tube (not shown). A rubber flange 38 is provided around the periphery of the stoma receiving opening 40. This flange, as best seen in FIG. 5, is inserted through the opening 28 of the engagement portion 16. Clips 42, embedded in a rubber base 44 (from which the flange 38 extends) engage braided thread loops 32 on portion 16 to prevent rotation of the appliance 12 with respect to the portion 16. FIG. 5 illustrates the engagement of the appliance 12 with a device (comprising engagement portion 16 and belt portion 16) according to the invention for retaining the appliance in a position to receive stoma 46 in opening 40.

FIG. 6 shows the fastening engagement of the hooks of strip 34 on the engagement portion 16 with the nap of strip 22 on the belt portion. In the preferred form, the hooks 48 are arranged in vertical rows with at least 10 hooks per inch. A larger number of hooks per inch will provide for even more uniform distribution of force across the vertical dimension of the respective strips 22 and 34.

(To facilitate the description, it has been assumed that the strip of hooks is always affixed to the engagement portion and the nap to the belt portion. Naturally, the converse arrangement is equivalent in operation.)

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the device according to the invention provides the desirable features of easy washability, easy application and removal, and comfort in use. Furthermore, it has been found that by spreading the force exerted by the elastic belt upon the engagement portion 16 over the vertical dimension of the opening 28 (see arrows in FIG. 1), flange 38 of the appliance 12 is securely retained against the body and leakage is almost completely prevented.

According to the invention, the provision ofa retention force which is distributed over the entire vertical dimension of the opening 28 will achieve the substantial benefits of a more comfortable, yet firmer, retention of the appliance 12 only if sufficient material is provided above and below the opening 28. If only a narrow strip of material were provided at those locations, the entire force which has been redistributed to the upper and lower areas of the opening would be con centrated to an extent which would make the device uncomfortably binding at those locations and would also cause the periphery of the opening to buckle, as it was stretched out of its circular shape, thereby permitting leakage.

it will be apparent that the strips 22 and 34 serve as force-transmitting means between the engagement portion 16 and the belt portion 14. The force-transmitting function, as well as the distribution of force over the entire vertical dimension of the opening 28, can be accomplished in other ways. Thus, for example, the belt portion could simply be sewn to the engagement portion at each end with stitching extending over the vertical dimension of the opening 28. For convenience in putting on or taking off the device 10, the belt portion could itself be severed and have mutually engageable strips (such as VELCRO) disposed adjacent the severed ends of the belt.

While a preferred embodiment has been described in detail, other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for retaining a medical ostomy appliance at a predetermined position about the waist of a human body, comprising an appliance engagement portion, a belt portion and connecting means; said engagement portion being a flexible cloth panel of absorbent, nonallergic material and having an opening for receiving a portion of said medical appliance and comprising the sole support for said appliance; said belt portion comprising a flexible, non-allergic material extensible in a direction around said body, said connecting means comprising two parts, one secured to each of said belt and said appliance engagement portion, one of said parts comprising a vertically extended strip of hook members having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of said opening, there being at least ten such hook members per inch of said strip and the other part comprising a vertically extended strip of nap having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of said opening and engageable with each of said hook members, the part on said engagement portion being horizontally aligned with said opening whereby the force exerted upon said engagement portion by said belt portion is distributed over the vertical dimension of said opening, thereby, despite the flexibility of said panel, supporting said panel in appliance-retaining position against the abdomen of the body.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said engagement portion has a strip of hook members on both of the horizontally opposite ends thereof and said belt portion has a strip of nap at both ends thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said engagement portion comprises two cotton panels sewn together.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the vertical dimen sion of said belt portion is approximately equal to the vertical dimension of said strip of nap.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the vertical dimension of said belt portion is approximately 2 inches.

6. The device of claim 1 having two of said connecting means, one at each side of said panel. 

1. A device for retaining a medical ostomy appliance at a predetermined position about the waist of a human body, comprising an appliance engagement portion, a belt portion and connecting means; said engagement portion being a flexible cloth panel of absorbent, non-allergic material and having an opening for receiving a portion of said medical appliance and comprising the sole support for said appliance; said belt portion comprising a flexible, non-allergic material extensible in a direction around said body, said connecting means comprising two parts, one secured to each of said belt and said appliance engagement portion, one of said parts comprising a vertically extended strip of hook members having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of said opening, there being at least ten such hook members per inch of said strip and the other part comprising a vertically extended strip of nap having a vertical dimension substantially equal to the vertical dimension of said opening and engageable with each of said hook members, the part on said engagement portion being horizontally aligned with said opening whereby the force exerted upon said engagement portion by said belt portion is distributed over the vertical dimension of said opening, thereby, despite the flexibility of said panel, supporting said panel in appliance-retaining position against the abdomen of the body.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said engagement portion has a strip of hook members on both of the horizontally opposite ends thereof and said belt portion has a strip of nap at both ends thereof.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said engagement portion comprises two cotton panels sewn together.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the vertical dimension of said belt portion is approximately equal to the vertical dimension of said strip of nap.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the vertical dimension of said belt portion is approximately 2 inches.
 6. The device of claim 1 having two of said connecting means, one at each side of said panel. 